Show-case lock



1,642,685 Sept. 20 1927' G, MICHAELSON SHOW CASE LOCK Filed Feb. 19

Jfiv' enl 01.

B 5 WC Patented Sept. 20, 1927.

UNITED STATES HENRY G. MICHAELSON, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

SHOW-CASE LOCK.

Application filed February 9, 1927. SeriaI No. 166,866.

This invent-ion relates to showcases and is particularly concerned with the provision of a simple, economical, reliable, and thoroughly practical type of means for locking the sliding doors of a showcase to prevent the theft of articles placed thereinfor display.

1 According. to the present invention, which is particularly applicable to showcases hav- 1o ing a front display section and arear drawer section, as in the case of showcases used in the displayin of fountain pens, novelties, and the like, t e sliding doors of the display section are arranged to be locked in closed 1 position by the closing of ,adrawer in the rear drawer section. The means employed, briefly stated, comprises a slidearranged to he moved by the drawer at the end of its closing movement, and a latch moving with the slide and having alocking end portion arranged to be engaged in reglstering openings provided in the doors of the display section to lock the same against relative sliding movement from their closed position. The slide is spring actuated toward the drawerso as normally to retract the-latch from locking position and has a stop pin to limit the retracting of theslide and latch so that the drawer has a certain amount of so movement independent of the slide while the slideand latch are always properly disposed to be actuated by the drawer when the lat- ..ter'is closed. I p

The invention is illustrated in the accom- ,panying drawing wherein y b Figure 1 is a vertical cross section through the upper portion of ashowcase in which the locking means of my invention is embodied; and,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view on a larger scale showing the more important-cooperating parts in the novel combination.

The showcase illustrated is of a purely conventional form having a front display section 5 and a rear drawer section 6, the same being provided with or without the top displayisection 7 The sections 5 and7 provlde places for the display of the articles to be sold, while the drawer section serves as a storage space where agsuppl of the kind of articles displayedmay be ept, this being the prevailing practise in the case of articles such as fountain pens, novelties, and the like. In this type of showcase it hasbeen customary to rovide relatively slidable glass doors 8 to a ord access to the articles on dis play in the front display section 5, but it has been found that there is a considerable dan ger of theft, especially in the case of such small articles as fountain pens, when no means is provided for securely locking the doors in closed-position. According to the present invention I have provided means operable in the closing of the top drawer 9 for locking the doors 8 thus making it neces sary for one to go around to the back ofthe counter to unlatch the front doors before it ispossible to open the same. This, for obvious reasons, is a suificient insurance in itself against ordinary thefts during the shop ping hours. Since the opening of the front doors is dependent upon the opening of the rear. drawer it is obvious that the provision of a suitable lock on the latter, which may be locked when closing shop for the day, will further serve effectually to prevent unauthorized access to the articles in the display section.

The locking means herein shown comprises a latch 10 operated by a slide 11, which in turn is operated by engagement with the back wall 12 of the drawer 9. The latch 10 has the locking end thereof received in an opening 13 provided in (the rail 14 which forms a part-of the front wall of the display section 5. The latter has a guideway 15 rovided therein for the reception of the sliding doors-8.- In the-locking position of the latch 10 the locking and projects into the guideway into registering notches 16 provided in the upper edges of-the doors 8 (see Fig. 2). 'The doors are thus positively held, in their closed position, against relative sliding movement. The latch 10 is offset at its inner end, as shown at 17 ,and has an opening 18 therethrough for the reception of the slide 11,the latter being fastened to the latch 10 preferably by means of a nail 19, or the like, passingthrough the joining parts. a A coiled compression spring 20 acts between the offset portion 17 of the latch, 10 and the rail 14 normally to urge the slide 11 inwardlyso' as to withdraw the locking end of the latch from its locking position. The slidell has the spring 20coiled about the sameandfits freely in a hole 21, drilled into the rail 14. from the rear side. The other endof the. slide 11 passes freely through the hole 22 provided in a partition wall 23. which extends between the display section 5 and the drawer section 6. .Theinward movement of the slide 11. under the action of the spring lit) 20 is limited by cotter pin 2d coming into engagement with the --partition wall '23.

In operation, when the drawer 9 is fully opened, or at least partly opened .to :the {BX- tent indicated by the dotted line position shown at Fig. 1, the slide 11 holds the latch in a retracted inoperative position, the pin 24 being in engagement with the partition wall 23, .as indicated in dotted lines. The

looking ,end of the latch 10 is, however, re

ceived' in the opening 13in the rail 14 and, of course, the end .of the slide 11 is also engaged il its hole 21 being-only partially withdrawn therefrom. The mere closing of the drawer 9, when thesliding doors 8 are fully closed, serves .to move the slide 11 against the action of the spring 20, to move the .latch '10 into locking position. The spring is preferably ust heavy enough to withdraw the latch from locking position, when the drawer is .open, and does not exert enough pressure against the back of the drawer to. shove it open. It is obvious that one is instantly aware if the front doors are not closed when an effort is made to close the drawer 9 as, in that case, (the ,end of the latch will come ,into engagement with the side of the door and prevent further movement of the ,drawer." It is only when the doors are fully closed to bring the notches 16 into register that the drawer can be fully closed. This feature has obvious merits as it avoids the likelihood ofv an oversight on the part of the ,clerk or shopkeeper; The concealment of the locking means entirely beneath the top wall 25 of the display section is of advantage for obvious reasons and the same is true of the concealment of the operating connection between the'drawer 9 and the slide 11, and in the concealment of the lends of the'slide' 1'1 and latchlO 'in' the rail '14. i

1. In a showcase comprising a front display section, a plurality of movable doors alfording access to the inside of-sa'id section, a single latch member for looking allof said doors together in their closed position, said latch being arranged to occupy an inoperative or an operative position, spring means normally urging saidlatc'h toward one position, and means operative from therear side of the showcase .for moving said latch to the other position.

2. In a showcase comprising a display section, a plurality of relatively slidable doors affording access to the insideof said .section, said doors havingopienings arranged to register when the doorsa-re in close'clfposition, said openings being concealed from view when the doors are in closed position, a latch concealed from view within the display section having a portion arranged to be received in :the registering openings to lock the doors against relative sliding movement; and concealed means for grieving said latch =i to and out of operative position.

In a showcase comprising a front display'seotion and area-r drawer section separated by a partition wall, the display section having a plurality of relatively slidable doors operating in guideways in the front wall thereof affording access to the inside of the display section, means operable from the near drawer section for locking the doors of the ,front display section in closed position, said means comprising a slide movably received in aligned openings provided in the partition wall and the front wall of said display section, said slide having a part arranged to move crosswise relative to one of the guideways for the doors in the front wall of the display section, said doors being provided with openings arranged to be brought in register when the doors are in closed position, the registering openings being arranged to receive'the aforementioned'part, means normally tending to move said slide in one direction to retract the aforementioned art to an inoperative position, and a part operated by the closing of a drawer in the rear drawer section arranged to move the slide to the locking position.

4 Ina showcase comprising a front display'section and a rear drawer section sepaigatled by a partition wall, the display section having a plurality of relatively s'lidable doors'pperating inguideways in the front Wall thereof afl'ording access to the inside of the display section, means operable from the rear drawer section for locking the doors of .the front display section in closed position, said means comprising a sl'ide movably received in openings provided in said partition wall and the front wall of said display section, spring means normally moving said slide in one direction toengage the inner end thereofwith a drawer in the rear drawer section, said slide beingmovable againstthe action of said spring means in the closing of said drawer, and a latch portionprovided 'on said slide for engaging the doors in one of the guideways of the front wall of the display section and locking the same in closed position.

5. In a structure as set forth in claim 4:, the provision of means for limiting the inward movement of said slide under the action of said'spring, means whereby to per- 'nnt a certain amount of. move1nent of' the drawer in the drawer sectionindependently of the slide. V

'6. In astructure as set forth in claim 4, the provision of gneans ,on said slide arranged Qin the inward movement thereof ,to engage the partition wall to limit the movement of said slide under the action of said spring, ,means whereby to permit a certain amount of movement of said vdrawer independent of the slide.

7. A structure as set forth in claim 4.

wherein the latch portion comprises a art fixed on said slide and providing an abutment for one end of the slide actuating spring.

8. In 'a showcase comprising a front display section and a rear drawer section separated by a partition wall, the display section having a plurality of relatively slidable doors operating in guideways in the front Wall thereof affording access to the inside of the display section, means operable from the rear drawer section for locking the doors of the front display section in closed position, said means comprising a slide movably received in aligned openings provided in said partition wall and the front wall of said display section, a latch moving with said slide having a locking end received in another opening in the front wall of the display section whereby said locking end is arranged for movement into one of the guideways provided for said doors, said doors being provided with openings arranged to register when the doors are in closed position and to receive the locking part of said latch, spring means normally moving said slide and latch in one direction to withdraw the locking part from the locking position, the slide being moved inwardly toward one of the drawers in the drawer section for engagement therewith, whereby to permit the operation of said slide and latch by said drawer in the closing of the latter, and means for limiting the movement of said slide and latch to prevent withdrawal of the same from their openings.

In witness of the foregoing I atfix my signature. I

HENRY G. MIGHAELSON. 

